Flabby dog. If the dog is flabby and listless lethargic and not himself, nothing can be animated and no favorite toy or super treat can entice him, then he is not in a bad mood, but it is important to find out what is missing. If the dog suddenly becomes limp and listless, an illness can be the reason.
The dog is suddenly weak and listless: these are the most common causes.
If the otherwise active and happy dog suddenly lapses and listlessly in his basket, something is wrong with him. The only way to find out what he is missing is to go to the vet. This is the only way to rule out a disease or treat it if necessary.
In advance, the dog owner can ask himself if there have been any changes or incidents recently because all of this is also important for the veterinarian since there is not always a medical background when a dog changes its nature. Some dogs are susceptible to changes in their everyday lives. If one can rule out changes as the cause, there are various other triggers.
Pain:
- did the dog get hurt? Perhaps represented while running or was he bitten?
- Does the dog have abdominal pain? Is the belly bloated or particularly hard?
- Have the teeth been checked and cleaned or refurbished recently? A purulent tooth can cause severe pain.
- Hip dysplasia or hip dysplasia (HD for short) is more common in some breeds. The head of the thigh bone does not fit properly into the socket, which causes painful friction. In young dogs, this dog disease develops within the first 15 months. In old dogs, it can be caused by osteoarthritis.
Lyme disease:
- Was the dog bitten by a tick?
- Lyme disease can also lead to pain, and the dog looks limp and drained.
Always remove ticks: Lyme disease can be hazardous for the dog. Fever:
- Many dog diseases manifest themselves in illness.
- Infections, viral diseases and colds are inflammatory processes in the body,
- With a high temperature, the dog feels flabby, and if it is not treated, it can become life-threatening
Feed intolerance:
- Intolerance to certain foods or snacks can also trigger the dog to become weak and tired,
- if you have recently changed the feed, it may well be because of it.
Purulent uterine inflammation (pyometra) in the bitch:
- in the open form of pyometra, vag-inal bleeding and purulent vag-inal discharge
- increased thirst and fever
- some dogs lick more often
- with the closed form of the pyometra, the secretions cannot leave the uterus
- the belly is bloated and painfully tense
- the dog is very flabby and has no appetite
Parvovirus:
- Common dog disease in puppies and young dogs
- the little dogs are really miserable,
- the puppy vomits regularly, becomes dehydrated, is tired and tired and can get a high fever,
- all of these symptoms are typical of this virus
- unfortunately, very young animals only rarely survive this dog disease
Tumour diseases:
- there are benign tumours called lipomas that should only be removed if they interfere with the dog
- Malignant ulcers must be removed surgically
- Depending on when the condition is diagnosed, cutting out the ulcer can help to overcome cancer. Most of the time, however, it has already spread, and so the operation does not help in the long term. There is also chemotherapy and radiation for dogs, but these treatments should be considered if the dog is already weakened or older.
- because unfortunately, you don’t have to fool yourself, it is usually just an extension of life, often only for a few months and the side effects of the therapies do not offset the little time remaining
In tumour diseases, these are often manifested by rapidly growing ulcers. , because there is not always a medical background when a dog changes its nature. Some dogs are susceptible to changes in their everyday lives. If one can rule out changes as the cause, there are various other triggers.Leptospirosis:
- most dogs are vaccinated against rabies. Fortunately, rabies is no longer a problem for us,
- but leptospirosis is again active, and some dogs have not been vaccinated
- The typical symptoms of this infectious disease, which is triggered by long, tortuous bacteria, are loss of appetite, diarrhoea and fever, some dogs vomit
- Dogs with leptospirosis are often flabby.
Also, the age may be the reason that the dog appears tired and listless. When dogs go into retirement, it often happens quite quickly. The noticeable physical breakdown occurs within a few weeks and months. You look at your dog, and you realize that he has already become an old man.
A grandma would also no longer run a marathon, which is why dogs can also enjoy their retirement. But it must also be clear that this is the reason why the dog looks limp and drained. If it has been medically ruled out that there is a disease or the like and there is no food intolerance, the dog owner must be prepared to live with an older semester and to adapt its activities and daily schedules accordingly.
A very old dog often looks flabby and drained, but he is usually not lacking in health, he is just old.
Overexertion will make even the strongest dog feel weak.
Hot summer days not only strain us, humans, but they can also become unbearable for dogs. Unlike us, dogs cannot sweat and regulate their body temperature via panting. The level-headed dog owner does not drive his companion through the agility course at thirty degrees in the shade and does not allow him to walk along on the bike for hours.
A hiking tour through the mountains should also be undertaken on hot summer days without your four-legged friend. And it is the smallest evil when the dog is limp and drained afterwards. A life-threatening heat stroke can result from this overwork at high temperatures.
The dog should not be overexerted, especially at high temperatures.
If the dog has a cold, he is usually flabby and depressed.
Respiratory diseases and colds are not uncommon in dogs. But not every sneeze is a full-blown cold. Sometimes your nose just tickles, or there is a foreign body in your nose. How do you know if the dog actually has a cold?
Symptoms for a cold in dogs :
- in addition to sneezing, the dog’s nose runs, everything speaks for a cold,
- Cough is also a symptom of colds, but can also have other causes, such as irritation of the larynx (if you have pulled too much on the collar, for example ) or if the dog has a foreign body in the throat,
- If the dog gets an additional fever and purulent nasal discharge, he must go to the veterinarian
Treatment for a mild cold :
- Keep the dog warm and dry, and tie a scarf around your neck
- clean your nose if you have a cold, because the liquid irritates the mucous membranes
- offer plenty of water to drink if he does not drink it pure, calmly enrich with a little meat broth or liver sausage
- little movement, the dog should be spared and is already limp anyway,
- A lot of sleep also helps the dog to get well
- avoid contact with other dogs if they do not live in the same household
If you are not sure if it is a mild cold or a foreign body in the nose or throat, for safety’s sake, contact the veterinarian. All of the measures described can and should also be used in conjunction with veterinary therapy.
The dog is flabby: colds are not uncommon in dog diseases.
The dog is flabby because of diarrhoea
Persistent diarrhoea harms the dog because the body loses a lot of fluid. If it occurs suddenly, there can be many reasons. Was the feed changed, or was the dog particularly stressed? Has the dog possibly absorbed something on the last walks that led to diarrhoea? Water from dirty puddles can also cause diarrhoea. Fortunately, diarrhoea is usually harmless and goes away very quickly. A few days of light food and carrot soup, according to Prof. Dr Ernst Moro help quite well.
If the diarrhoea is not gone within two days or at least significantly better, a veterinarian should be consulted. With severe diarrhoea, the dog loses a lot of water and nutrients are also removed from the body, which weakens the entire organism.
Diarrhoea is exhausting for the dog’s body; the dog is flabby and drained.
What measures protect the dog from diseases?
Of course, you cannot protect your dog from everything, because a happy dog life includes adventure, fun, play and racing. However, a few things can be avoided that usually lead to illness or damage.
Preventing diarrhoea:
- do not change the feed too often
- Don’t let the dog drink from stale puddles in summer
- don’t let the dog eat snow in winter
Prevent colds :
- Do not let the dog swim in freezing temperatures
- Dogs that have little or very short fur and no undercoat should be protected with a coat in winter
- do not expose the dog to constant drafts
- in summer slowly get the dog used to the air conditioning in the car
References:
- Common dog diseases. (n.d.).
aspca.org/pet-care/dog-care/common-dog-diseases - Disease risks for dogs in social settings. (n.d.).
avma.org/public/PetCare/Pages/Disease-Risks-for-Dogs.aspx - Selecting safe pets. (2014).
kidshealth.org/parent/firstaid_safe/home/pets.html - When is it an emergency? (n.d.).
aaha.org/pet_owner/pet_health_library/general_health_care/when_is_it_an_emergency.aspx